Hunters age 15 and younger harvested 2,883 turkeys in Missouri’s two-day youth turkey hunting season April 4 and 5.
Missouri Department of Conservation officials said the count for the spring hunt in 2008 was 2,898 birds.
MDC reported issuing permits to 19,135 Missouri youngsters, down from 21,595 in 2008.
The top three counties this spring were Franklin with 96, Osage with 85 and Polk with 61. Franklin County broke its previous record of 94 set in 2007.
In the 12-county Ozark Region, 369 turkeys were taken. Wright County had 60 kills, Texas County 50, Phelps 45, Howell 35, Douglas and Ozark each 29, Oregon 28, Dent 26, Pulaski 21, Ripley and Shannon each 18 and Carter 10.